Bucket List Update

I want to add a few things to my bucket list...

On October 2, 2012 I wrote:
Tomorrow is my birthday and I'll be 35 years old. This birthday has really got me thinking about things I should have/would have done in my life. I've decided to make a Bucket List to help me decide what I want to accomplish before I die. This will be an ongoing process, I'm sure I will always find things I want to experience. My list is in no particular order and some are more important to me than others. Here I go...I'm starting my journey today.

1. Get my master's degree or, if possible, my doctorate. (Currently working on my bachelor's degree)
2. Have my steampunk or men's jewelry line featured in a magazine
3. Go to Italy and Greece
4. Parasail
5. Waterski
6. Snowboard
7. Donate a LARGE sum to Breast Cancer Awareness & St. Jude Children's Hospital
8. Learn and be efficient in some type of martial arts
9. Go to Paris and take a cooking class
10. Learn glass-blowing
11. Learn to weld

Here are the new additions:
12. Learn a foreign language
13. Learn as many survival skills I can...you know, in case of a zombie apocalypse (Hehe!)
14. Take my kids to Disney World
15. Take my kids to play in the ocean. I'm from San Diego and grew up going to the beach, playing in the water, and then surfing as I got older. My kids have never even seen an ocean, they really should be able to witness it's glory.
16. Go scuba diving
17. Have a large garden *dreams of The Secret Garden* lol

Homemade Laundry Detergent-Liquid

I am so glad I found this recipe. My whole family seems to have sensitive skin and I was buying a name brand detergent that is fragrance & dye free.  That can get expensive, it's really sad that it costs more for a product that has less ingredients in it but I bought it anyways. Now I will no longer be spending that kind of money. The Fels-Naptha has a scent so I was a little weary of using it but I love the scent and it doesn't have any effect on our sensitive skin. So here is the recipe courtesy of http://thefrugalgirls.com/2010/08/how-to-make-homemade-laundry-detergent.html
I have rewritten it so I could add my own notes.

 

Homemade Laundry Detergent-Liquid (makes 2 gallons)

(Under $0.50 per gallon if I get ingredients from Walmart)

1/2 Cup: Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda {not Baking Soda}

 1/2 Cup: Borax

 1/3 Bar of Fels-Naptha Soap {you could also use Ivory soap, but if using Ivory… use the whole bar}

·        Grate 1/3 bar of Fels-Naptha Soap over large pot or saucepan…

·        Add 6 cups of Water.

·         Heat over medium-high until soap dissolves and melts.

·         Add Washing Soda & Borax, and stir until dissolved.

·         Remove from heat and set aside.

*See notes following instructions: After doing the above as directed, I mixed it differently bcuz I didn’t have a bucket

·        Pour 4 cups Hot Water into bucket, then add Soap Mixture (makes 6 cups of soap mixture)

·         Stir, then add 1 Gallon + 6 Cups of additional water.  Stir.

·        Transfer to a bucket with a lid, or pour into empty laundry detergent containers.

·         Set aside, and let it sit overnight, or up to 24 hours, to thicken and gel up.

·         Consistency and color will vary depending on your soap & water ~ it may be lumpy and watery… kind of like a watery gel, but it works great!

·         Stir or shake before each use, as it will continue to gel.

*Notes: I didn’t have a bucket so I made the soap mixture as directed in the pan, I'm splitting the recipe in half after the cooking stage, then I used these instructions: 

·        Pour 2 cups of hot water into a one gallon container (I used 1 gallon Gatorade containers but 1 gallon milk jugs would work)

·        Add 3 cups of soap mixture

·        Then add 11 cups of water

·        This is one gallon. Do the same with the other 3 cups of soap mixture and that’s your 2^nd gallon.

· Set aside, and let it sit overnight, or up to 24 hours, to thicken and gel up.

· Consistency and color will vary depending on your soap & water ~ it may be lumpy and watery… kind of like a watery gel, but it works great!

· Stir or shake before each use, as it will continue to gel.
 

*I use the measuring cap from my old laundry detergent bottle.  I use the exact same amount of homemade detergent as I did the name brand.

Additional info:

 

I use roughly 1 gallon of laundry detergent a per month. I did the math and found I could make a year's worth (12 gallons) of homemade laundry detergent for the same price as one (1) store bought, name brand 66 load (3quarts 4oz - not even a full gallon) container of laundry detergent. That's just crazy!!!

Quote of the Day!

I learned there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead, others come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready, you see. Now my troubles are going to have trouble with me. -- Dr. Seuss

Quote of the Day!

You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German poet, novelist, playwright, scientist and philosopher (1749-1832)

Give some, get some!

Every year I donate to St. Jude Children's Hospital. The police department calls, every year, asking for donations, I always tell them that I donate to St. Jude. Sometimes I can afford to make a donation to the police department, sometimes I can't. I try to donate to the organizations I think are the most important. I end up telling the police department representative that I really don't think anything is more important than donating to St. Jude. I ask them to tell me what is more important than saving a child. Not one of them has been able to argue with that. So as I have done in previous years, I will do again this year. I mentioned in an older post that I like to buy ornaments from the St. Jude gift shop. I love getting their ornaments and then giving them as gifts. To me, it's a win-win situation. The proceeds go to St. Jude and my gift recipients get beautiful and meaningful ornaments. Plus, maybe seeing the ornament on their tree every year will remind them to donate as well. I'm sneaky, sneaky! There are other gifts on their site as well but I especially like the ornaments. The ones made by the children are so precious.  If you would like to shop and help a child, please go http://giftshop.stjude.org/stjude/

 Here are a few ornaments from the shop. Enjoy!

Quote of the Day!

Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see.  -Mark Twain

Haunted Mirror

I think this mirror would be great in my entryway. I'd like to hang it on my wall with a small amount of light shining on it.

Conjure up the illusion of haunted spirits with this easy project.  See instructions here: http://www.bhg.com/halloween/crafts/unique-halloween-craft-ideas/#page=10